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MG MGB Technical - clutch replacement

My mechanic who has worked on British cars for many years reckons he can change the clutch on my 79 MGB without pulling the engine. Everything I have read says it can't be done. Is he correct?
C Vine

I'm no expert C, but according to the books and what I've read on various forums and own practice (once - I have a 77 B both-engine and gearbox were taken out by myself). I considered it but could not see how it could be done.
The problem is backing the gearbox from the engine far enough to disengage the input shaft. The transmission tunnel is tapered with the widest part engine end. For the home mechanic who wants to attempt this working under the car without a car lift. For the professional workshop maybe it can be done - I would say you need at least 3 people to do it - 2 to lift and 1 to guide. It is not a light gearbox! Next time I will just take the engine out - it is not difficult - just patience and logic is needed.
Hope my comments help - ask him how he thinks he can do it.

/Moss
Moss

He does use a professional car hoist so maybe that solves the access problem.
C Vine

Technically, it may be possible if you lift the front of the engine so the pulley clears the rack, pull the engine and gearbox forwards so the back of the gearbox clears the fixed crossmember, then drop the rear of the gearbox right down, you may be able to do it. You would need a hoist for the engine and a lift for the gearbox so it hardly seems worth it. It's occasionally claimed 3rd-party i.e. by someone who hasn't witnessed it personally let alone done it, but no one has ever documented it with photos or video as far as I know. Challenge him, and film it.
Paul Hunt

I know someone who did get the gearbox out ... by rotating it and removing the remote. That was without lifting the engine at the front. Getting it back in again was a different story as the remote shaft, toggle and bush are tricky even when you have plenty of room. Hence for removal he found he had to pull the engine in the end anyway.
Paul Walbran

For the amount of time it takes to pull the engine, I can't see what would be gained by trying to pull the gearbox from underneath.

If it's just the clutch, the gearbox can stay where it is.
Dave O'Neill2

I don't know if it would work with a MGB, but a mechanic at a clutch specialist told me that he had seen E-Types with part of the transmission tunnel cut away to enable the clutch to be changed without removing the engine.
c cummins

Not a good idea in a convertible, the tunnel's one of the key bits holding front and rear together
Paul Walbran

It can be done with a non OD transmission, but the labor and time required for the task makes it more trouble than it's worth. RAY
rjm RAY

The following from Hi-Gear re Ford 5- speed trany:

"Dear David
Thank you for the comments.I had skimmed through the magazine and missed both references!
The MGB gearbox can be removed from underneath because the main gearbox support crossmember can be removed and the tail of the Type 9 geargox can be moved back over the fixed crossmember and the bell housing cleared from the engine.On your MGA,there are two fixed crossmembers,so the gearbox cannot be removed downwards.But you can take the gearbox out upwards by removing floor,seats and leaving the engine in place,this is how we do twin cams because it is such a big job to take out the engine.you can also take the engine out on its own,leaving the gearbox in place,thus changing the clutch.
The MGA does really well on fuel consumption with the 5 speed.We have just had the aformentioned holiday in Norway.One leg of the journey was 125 miles. I brimmed the tank at start and finish of the journey and we used 12.5 litres of fuel which works out at 45.4 mpg. This was all helped by the Norwegian 50 mph speed limit.
All the best,
Peter Gamble."
David Werblow

This thread was discussed between 01/06/2013 and 04/06/2013

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